C.A.S.H. - COMMUNAL AFFORDABLE SINGLES HOUSING
A PLATFORM FOR PROACTIVE AFFORDABILITY INHONG KONG
ARCHNES
MASSACHUSETTS INSTrUTE
By Yan-Ping Wang
--.
v2 p'm
FEB2 2
Bachelor of Arts, Architecture
College of Environmental Design | University of California, Berkeley, 2009
SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE AT THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
FEBRUARY 2013
@ Copyright 2013 Yan-Ping Wang. All rights reserved.
The author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and
electronic copies of this thesis document in whole or in part in any medium now known or hereafter created.
Signature of Author:
0
Yan-Ping Wang
Department of Architecture
January 16, 2013
7
Certified by:
Pr
Tunney F.Lee
ssof Architecture and Urban Studies and Planning, Emeritus
Thesis Advisor
Certified by:
Yung Ho Chang
Professor of Architecture
Thesis Advisor
Accepted by:
Accepted by:
*
'-
~-
Takehiko Nagakura
Associate Professor of Design and Computation
Chair of the Department Committee on Graduate Students
Committee
Tunney F. Lee
Professor of Architecture and Urban Studies and Planning, Emeritus
Yung Ho Chang
Professor of Architecture
Robert 0. Simha
Execute Manager at University Residential Communities, MIT
Dr. Calvin Kam
Director of Industry Programs, CIFE, Stanford University
John Fernandez
Associate Professor of Building Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
C.A.S.H. - COMMUNAL AFFORDABLE SINGLES HOUSING
A PLATFORM FOR PROACTIVE AFFORDABILITY INHONG KONG
By Yan-Ping Wang
Submitted to the Department of Architecture on January 16th, 2013
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Architecture
Abstract
In Hong Kong, young singles are left out of the affordable housing equation. They require much more space per person in comparison to those
living in family housing, and the government is not willing to allocate a
disproportionate amount of already limited public resources to house
this demographic. Many young singles end up living in cramped conditions with their parents well into their 30s, lacking space and autonomy
throughout their golden years. Conditions for elderly singles are more
dire - with no family to look after them, many live in Hong Kong's notorious cage homes, stacked bed spaces within already tiny apartments in
the city's poorer districts.
CASH transcends this housing deadlock by providing a new approach
towards affordable housing - proactive affordability - for Hong Kong's
singles population. The architecture acts as a platform that maximizes
opportunities for tenants to generate extra revenue, allowing them to
afford their own spaces. This is achieved by re-organizing private and
communal space in such a way that allows for subletting and commercial activity to coincide with the residential space. The building positions
itself to generate foot traffic, creating greater opportunities for its tenants. In doing so, the residents of CASH can live larger, dream bigger
and work harder, on their own terms and within their own communities.
Thesis Advisor: Professor Tunney F. Lee
Title: Professor of Architecture and Urban Studies and Planning, Emeritus
Thesis Advisor: Professor Yung Ho Chang
Title: Professor of Architecture
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
3
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my parents for their support through the many years of my
education, and for encouraging me to pursue my passion despite all the
impracticalities.
And to Lee-Ping, for always inspiring me strive further, and for all the
good times we had when we were both at MIT.
To my grandparents, for always being so proud of us. I hope to continue
making you proud in the future. To Nainai, I've always wondered where
my artistic side came from - now I know.
And to Ning Yuan, for always providing a listening ear and a sharp eye,
and putting up with my shenanigans.
Special thanks to:
Tunney Lee, for your patience and your guidance. Our conversations
have provided me with important and lasting lessons on what it means
to become an architect.
Yung Ho, for your vision, critique and advice - our talks never failed to
broaden my thinking and catalyze endless new ideas.
Bob Simha, for bringing your wisdom and enthusiasm to each review. I
hope you enjoyed the process as much as I did.
Jane Chua, Cecilia Ho, Huang Li, Ryan Maliszewski, Siliang Fu,
Norbert Wong, Rena Yang, Stephanie Saltzmann and Alex Farley for all
your help during the final sprint.
4
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT
3
INTRODUCTION
7
Achievements in Hong Kong Public Housing
Demographic Shift towards Single Households
The Difficulty of Housing Singles in Hong Kong
Documentation of Current Living Conditions
Redefining Singles Housing: An Investment in the Future of Hong Kong
7
8
10
12
14
CONTEXT
17
Beginnings of Hong Kong Housing - the Shop House
High Density Variations of the Shop House
Evolution of Hong Kong Public Housing
Tower and Podium -A Masterpiece of Efficiency
18
20
22
26
OBSERVATIONS
29
Singles and the Point Tower - A Fundamental Mismatch
Different Financial Needs
An Appropriate Urban Setting
"Can-do Spirit" of Hong Kong
29
30
32
34
STRATEGY
37
A Platform for Proactive Affordability
37
Site - Sham Shui Po
38
A Hidden Resource - Unused Private Space
Expanded Communal Space
Young and Elderly Singles
Shop + House: Blurring Public and Private Space
Building Management
Hong Kong Housing Society
46
46
48
48
50
52
DESIGN
55
Convertible 30m 2 Unit
56
Cascading Communal Cluster
Activated Base
Circulation / Program
Renderings
Measures of Success
66
74
82
88
94
BIBLIOGRAPHY
98
THESIS PRESENTATION
100
APPENDIX
110
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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5
"We need to work against poverty - not just by giving money, but by helping poorer people from
relying upon social welfare. This is what it means to eradicate poverty."
- Stephen Fisher, Hong Kong Oxfam's Director General
6
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Introduction
Achievements in Hong Kong Public Housing
It is without question that Hong Kong can look back on the past 50 years
of its public housing program with pride. What began as a decisive
response to the disastrous Shek Kip Mei fire of 1954, public housing
Hong Kong now houses over 40 percent of its population'. Perhaps
even more notable is the dignity and sense of community these housing
estates provide to their residents. In the past 50 years, the quality of
living in Hong Kong public housing has steadily risen to become very
desirable to live in such arrangements. The construction of massive
public housing estates for tens of thousands of residents have created successful and vibrant communities, through sophisticated planning
and design.
Today, the public housing program faces anew challenge - how to house
the growing number of singles in Hong Kong. This thesis puts forth a
number of ideas for providing affordable housing this demographic, culminating in a design proposal for a public housing building for single
residents. It is the author's hope that this proposal will provide a fresh
perspective and help generate discussion amongst professionals and
decision-makers who are more closely involved in these issues.
1 Yeung, Y.M. and Timothy KY. Wong. Fifty Years of Public Housing in Hong Kong: A Golden
Jubilee Review and Appraisal.
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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7
A Demographic Shift towards Single Households
The developed world is undergoing a significant demographic change.
Just as the extended family gradually made way for the nuclear family in
the twentieth century city, there is now a shift towards a household size
of only one or two people as the primary unit of living 2. Moving in parallel with this shift towards smaller households is the increasing densities
and rising land values of urban areas. The combined transformation
of demographics and urban density creates new pressures upon the
development of the 21st century city. One of the most direct pressures
will occur within the arena of urban housing - a demand for even more
dwelling units for singles and other small households 3.
Hong Kong exemplifies these socio-spatial trends and the way major
cities are beginning to adapt to them. Often referred to as the quintessential high-density small-footprint city, Hong Kong has a population of
7 million living on an area of 120km 2 , which gives it a concentration of
roughly 600 people per hectare. On this city-wide basis, Hong Kong
is considered one of the densest places in the world, rivaled only by
Mumbai and Dhaka. At the same time, Hong Kong is on a trajectory
towards delayed marriage and smaller household size alongside other
highly developed Asian regions such as Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. A recent study by the Asia Research Institute showed the average
marriage age of women in Hong Kong was slightly over 30, surpassing
even Japan4.4
2 Shelton, Barrie, Justya Karakiewicz and Thomas Kvan. The making of Hong Kong: From
Vertical to Volumetric. Routledge: December 22, 2010. Print. p22 .
3 Shelton, Barrie. The making of Hong Kong: From Vertical to Volumetric. p23.
4 Anonymous. "The flight from marriage." The Economist. 20 August 2011. Web. 10 October
2012. http://www.economist.com/node/21526329
8
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL POPULATION BY HOUSEHOLD SIZE: 2001-2011
50
45
I
IIS
40
35
30
"
1-2 Person Households
25
-
3-4 Person Households
20
-
5+ Person Households
15
10
5
0
2001
2006
2011
Source:
HongKongCensus
2011
PERCENTAGE OF UNMARRIED POPULATION: 2011-2011
MALE
Age
FEMALE
50
30
100
80
60
40
Proportion of Population (%)
20
20
0
0
20
40
60
Proportion of Population (%)
80
100
2011
E..
2001
Source:
Hong KongCensus
2011
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
9
The Difficulty of Housing Singles in Hong Kong
The affordable housing system in Hong Kong is designed for
housing families as opposed to single tenants. This is due to the smaller percentage of singles in need of public housing, and perhaps more
importantly, their inefficient use of space under the current public housing system. Hong Kong is one of the densest cities in the world, and the
efficiency of space here is paramount. Presently, Hong Kong's public
housing system is able to house families at roughly 10 square meters
per person. However, in the case of single tenants, this number increases to 17 square meters per person due to the requirement of a
kitchen and bathroom for each unit (fig. 1).
The demand for affordable housing for singles has increased dramatically within the past decade, rising from 31,000 applicants in 2005 to
99,000 applicants by the end of 20125. This is largely caused by skyrocketing housing prices throughout Hong Kong. The average price of
privately owned housing has increased over 70% since the year 2009.
At present, Hong Kong is ranked as the least affordable city in terms
of housing, with median housing prices at 13 times annual median incomes, far outpacing other notoriously high-priced cities such as London
and New York (fig. 2). The limited availability of land and the increasing
demand from mainland buyers are major factors driving this trend.
The combination of high demand and inefficient layout has created an
uncomfortable situation where the government struggles to provide inefficient singles flats at a high cost. It is therefore no surprise that in
2012, the annual target for production of affordable housing units was
set at 15,000 flats, with 10,000 flats allocated for families, 3,000 flats
for elderly singles (aged 60 and above) and 2,000 for non-elderly singles (aged below 60). In sharp contrast, the wait list for public housing
has reached nearly 200,000 applicants, with roughly 82,900, 6,100 and
93,000 applicants respectively (fig. 3).
The above comparison reveals the severity of the housing shortage for low-income singles, especially in terms of the non-elderly. At the
same time, these numbers show the difficulty the government faces to
provide housing for this group, especially in the face of the more needy
families and elderly. Low-income families and single elderly applicants
have nothing to fall back on and therefore have a greater need for limited public resources. However, the current situation of the single non-elderly without access to public housing is also far from ideal. The youth
are facing the mounting pressures of financial instability, marriage, and
cramped living conditions at home. At the same time, Hong Kong's
growing elderly population is also becoming increasingly poor.
5 Ngo, Jennifer. "700,000 slip through Hong Kong's welfare net." South China Morning Post. 16
October 2012. Web. 18 October 2012.
10
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
1: Space Required Per Person: Singles vs. Families
2: Median Housing Price to Median Annual Income Ratio
3: Public Housing Annual Production vs. Waitlist Length
Source:ww.demographiaorg
Source: Hong KongHousing Authoity
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
11
Documentation of current living conditions
The younger singles who are unable to find affordable housing typically live with their parents in oftentimes unbearably cramped conditions.
These young people often experience this lack of personal space in
combination with a grueling 50+ hour work week. Studies have shown
that social mobility in Hong Kong has slowed significantly in the past
decade, leaving young singles trapped in their current economic conditions.
"With no space, such expensive housing, less promising job prospects
and the population squeeze, young people feel trapped and the opportunities are not as plentiful as before." 6
Living at home in close proximity to one's parents can often be
in direct opposition with the professional and social lives of these young
singles. In addition to their primary employment, as many as 40% of
young singles work second jobs to cope with their difficult financial environment. Parents and their grown children end up living together in a
tight space with very different circadian rhythms. Such living arrangements can create significant amounts friction within a household, adding to the sometimes already strained relationships between parents
and their children.
"IfI'm working the night shift, I come home at 2 o'clock in the morning...
Once I open the door. If I'm working early in the morning, I need to be
out the door by 4AM. It all disturbs the resting hours of my family. So
I really want to move out. However, the current housing prices are just
too high..." - Respondent D1
Furthermore, the proximity to one's parents often inhibits the personal
development and growth that accompanies living independently. One
of the most common complaints is the difficulty of finding a significant
other and developing romantic relationships given the lack of private
space.
"Many [youth] feel helpless when they think about forming families...
Their aspiration to live on their own (i.e., to move out from the family)
underscores their strong and desperate desire for housing. This discrepancy leads to financial difficulty in the young geners' golden years.
They are getting more and more frustrated and upset with the current
housing market."'
6 Yip, Paul Siu Fai, Paul Wai Ching Wong and Frances Yik Wa Law. A Study on Understanding
our Young Generation. Central Policy Unit. The Government of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region. February 2011. Web. www.legco.gov.hk/ p30
7 Yip, Wong and Law. A Study on Understanding our Young Generation. p 1 14
8 Yip, Wong and Law. A Study on Understanding our Young Generation. p92
12
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Living Conditions, Income of Young Singles
Michael Wolf - 100x100 - Public Housing Units in Shek Kip Mei
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1 13
Meanwhile, Hong Kong's elderly singles face difficulties of a very
different nature. While Hong Kong's young singles have their families
to fall back on, there is very little buffer between the elderly singles and
living in abject poverty. Many end up in subdivided or partitioned flats,
cubicles or even 'cage homes' that are stacked within flats to accommodate as many tenants as possible9 . Elderly residents express their
dislike of such conditions, but oftentimes see few other options:
"Those subdivided flats are not suitable for me... For those flats that
aren't subdivided, people are not willing to rent them to a single old-lady...' - Aunt Kwok, age 7510
No one knows how many people are currently living in these inadequate conditions, but estimates have been as high as 90,000. With
Hong Kong's elderly population growing rapidly, their lack of housing
is becoming a serious issue. Many elderly singles do not have the resources or mobility to access the public housing system, and are often
left unaccounted for.
The exacerbation of the housing situation for these elderly singles, as
well as the lack of affordable housing for the younger singles have both
become a highly politicized issue in recent years.
Singles Housing: An investment in the Future of Hong Kong
Rethinking housing for the singles population is an investment in Hong
Kong's future. Providing today's youth the space to grow and develop will have a far-reaching positive impact upon the next generation of
Hong Kong's leaders and communities. Similarly, creating dignified and
healthy living conditions for the elderly population will lay the groundwork for the well-being of the city's aging population. The challenge
then is to situate these emerging priorities within the framework of limited public resources and the existing mandates of family housing. Approaching this issue will require a fundamental reconsideration of how
public resources can be best allocated to solve the problem of singles
housing. The following section will discuss existing housing conditions,
as well as characteristics of the singles population in Hong Kong and
their particular housing needs.
9 Yip, Paul S. F. "Disconnection in a Highly Connected City." Cities Health and Well-Being.
November 2011: 28-29. Web. 8 August 2012. p28
10 Loh, christine K.W. and Mike Kilburn. "The Costs and Benefits of High Density Urban Living."
Cities Health and Well-Being. November 2011: 30-31. Web. 8 August 2012. p30
11 Loh and Kilburn. Cities Health and Well-Being. p31
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1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Living Conditions, Income of Elderly Singles
Elderly living in "Cage Homes"
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Shop Houses along Hong Kong Street, 1950s
Source: TheMaking of Hong Kong,FromVertical to Volumetric.
Context
The Beginnings of Hong Kong Housing
The evolution of Hong Kong's housing typology is a remarkable progression of responses to changes in urban density, technology, and building
code. The following section seeks to delineate the factors that drive this
transformation, and the rules govern its current forms. This abridged
history draws heavily from "The Making of Hong Kong, From Vertical to
Volumetric" by Barrie Shelton, Justyna Karakiewicz and Thomas Kvan,
which can be referenced for a more detailed and comprehensive account of the development of Hong Kong's built form. For our purposes,
an understanding of key parameters will help form the basis for design
decisions in the following sections.
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1
17
The Hong Kong Shop House
The Hong Kong shop-house is the first widespread housing typology in
Hong Kong, which is variation on the shop-house form found in Taiwan,
Malaysia, Singapore, and parts of Mainland China. Located on narrow
and deep lots, the shop-house is composed of commercial space on
the first floor with 1-4 floors of residential space above. What set the
Hong Kong shop-house apart from its neighboring Asian variants is its
occupation of the entire lot width - a dense configuration responding to
the rapid population growth, which began as early as the mid-1800s.
The structure acts as a flexible residential space, warehouse, and commercial area suited for sub-tropical climates. Verandas on the upper
levels reached out to the edge of the street, creating a continuous colonnade along the sidewalk. The ground floor shop and colonnade created
a zone for commercial activity, which would often mix with domestic life.
"Typically, meals were had sitting around a table in the shop space or on
the pavement outside... The sorting and storage of goods took place in
the residential portion when stock levels were high." 10
Beginning in the mid-1800s, this blurring between commercial and domestic space was the dominant lifestyle in Hong Kong for roughly a
century. While modern perspectives have romanticized the image of
the traditional shop-house romanticized, these living conditions have
often been documented as squatter settlements. The constant influx
of migrants created a crushing demand for housing that created these
cramped living conditions. A survey conducted in 1957 by the University of Hong Kong found an occupancy rate of eleven people per floor,
with most households living in less than 11.15 m2 of floor space (Maunder and Szczpanik, 1958). Overall, the study found that half of Hong
Kong's population was living in cubicles... However, Shelton, Karakiewicz and Kvan note that these squatter towns "were often places of
enterprise and industry" and "were not necessarily in the category of
extreme poverty," with overcrowding being relative to the context and
culture of Hong Kong." In short, this form of housing and urbanism
represents a natural conflation of shop and house in order to meet the
demands of density and affordability. Subsequent housing types can be
seen as iterations on this basic form and its relationship between public
and private space.
12 Shelton, Barrie. The making of Hong Kong: From Vertical to Volumetric. p46.
13 Shelton, Barrie. The making of Hong Kong: From Vertical to Volumetric. p78.
18
I
C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Shop Houses Negotiating Stepped Streets
-4
FIG. 27.
Source: The Making of Hong Kong,FromVertical
to Volumetric.
Shop Houses Turning the Street Corner
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
19
High Density Variations on the Shop House
With the shop houses operating at full capacity, the Building Ordinance
of 1956 relaxed height limits to allow for greater urban densities. This
was followed by an enormous increase in building height across the
territory. The resulting typologies were essentially extrusions of the
shop-house into a mid-rise walkup. In some cases, adjacent lots were
combined to form larger blocks of flats, which stepped back from the
street at the upper levels. Yet another variation of the shop-house appeared in the form of the "massive block," which occupied a large corner
lot and rose up to 20 stories with the incorporation of elevators. These
expanded forms allowed plot ratios to rise drastically - in some cases
a ratio of 20:114 was possible - while retaining the commercial space
at street level or expanding it to two stories. However, these extreme
densities overly burdened infrastructural networks while letting in little
in the way of light and air, and by the early 1960s the regulations were
under reconsideration.
14 Shelton, Barrie. The making of Hong Kong: From Vertical to Volumetric. p80
20
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
"Cantilevered and Curved" Typology
"Cantilevered" Typology
"Massive Block" Typology
YanTPing Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1 21
Evolution of Hong Kong Public Housing
Coinciding with the emergence of high-rise private housing, the Shek
Kip Mei fire of 1954 gave rise to the first of a series of ambitious public housing projects that redefined the landscape of housing options in
Hong Kong. On Christmas Eve in 1953, a fire ripped through the squatter settlement in Shek Kip Mei, leaving 53,000 people homeless. 15 The
government reacted decisively, rapidly constructing a series of six-story
buildings at the site of the fire to re-house residents as quickly as possible. This resulted in a unique form based upon an H-shaped plan,
dubbed the "Mark I"block. The H-shaped block was made up of backto-back single-room flats that were accessed through a continuous balcony along the perimeter, with common facilities such as bathrooms
and kitchens in the center of the "H." The space allocated per person
was little more than 2.5 meters 16 - a far cry from the 12.8 meters per
person of present-day public housing in Hong Kong.
While the building was originally intended to consist entirely of housing
units, it was quickly realized that the ground level had to provide space
for shops, and that some forms of light industry would take place in the
upper levels. Rooftops provided space for much-needed schools and
play spaces. Not long afterwards, hawkers and traders began taking
over the open space around these public housing clusters. In response,
the government constructed market shelters at ground level for the occupation of hawkers and small market stands. In such a way, the first
public housing projects successfully integrated the shop house lifestyle
of mixed residential and commercial spaces into a higher density form.
The following decades saw sustained economic growth throughout
Asia, and not in the least in Hong Kong. With this increase in prosperity
came greater government resources and expenditure, alongside higher expectations upon the public housing system from the public. The
space allocation, infrastructure, community amenities and form of the
public housing structures continued to shift, improving with each iteration of the design. The incorporation of elevator systems allowed for a
much more efficient floor plan (in terms of space allocated to circulation
vs. living space), which eventually led to the 40-story cruciform structures seen today.
15 Yeung, Y.M. and Timonthy K.Y Wong. Fifty Years of Public Housing in Hong Kong: A Golden
Jubilee Review and Appraisal. Hong Kong Housing Authority: 2003. Print. p20
16 Yeung and Wong. Fifty Years of Public Housing in Hong Kong. p48
17 Shelton, Barrie. The making of Hong Kong: From Vertical to Volumetric. p81
22
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
23
24
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
110.0
m
e
son
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1
Tower and Podium -A Masterpiece of Efficiency
The development of Hong Kong's housing typology is primarily driven
by the desire for ever-higher density and efficiency. Examples of present-day private housing design showcase the underlying cost-driven
logic and rationale for the current form. The massing is first and foremost by the extremely high cost of land in Hong Kong. Land cost can
often make up nearly 90% of the project budget, dwarfing the cost of
construction. Therefore, it is critical to maximize the buildable area allowable by code upon such expensive plots of land. Next, the massing
is split into towers sitting atop a multi-story commercial podium, which
occupies the entire site. This allows the developer to split the financial
risk between residential and commercial sectors, while providing easy
access to shopping and amenities for residents.
The cruciform shape of these towers is a result of large units (by Hong
Kong standards) branching out from an efficient core, like petals of a
flower. Due to Hong Kong's proximity to the equator, orientation of
these towers negligible, and they can be seen positioned every which
way depending on the relationship to the plot itself. The crenelated
form results from building code, which requires kitchens and bathrooms
to open to the exterior. This also allows the piping to be built along
the exterior of these spaces. These service-oriented spaces and their
unsightly external infrastructure are then hidden away in the indented
portions of the exterior.
The internal layouts are a result of half a century of incremental improvements to efficiency of the residential floor plate. The larger units
of private housing require fewer points of access, decreasing the proportion of circulation space, further raising the efficiency of the floor
plan. The invention of the scissor stair, providing two separate paths
of egress within one stairwell, allowed the circulation core to shrink to
nothing more than a U-shape surrounding the elevators in many cases.
The best examples of such towers can achieve efficiency ratios of up
to 86%.
Yet, in order to achieve this level of efficiency, the point tower has sacrificed many of the qualities of the traditional Hong Kong lifestyle, as
embodied in the shop-house typology. The towers, referred by Shelton
as "cul-de-sacs in the sky," lack the connectivity and vitality of its predecessors. The increasing separation between the residential units and
the commercial base weakens the relationship between residents and
their street frontage. This diminished connectivity and lack of communal space may also adverse affect the formation of communities within
these residential blocks. These factors may not be the most critical
from the perspective of family housing. However, when designing housing for singles, they become a far more important consideration.
26
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
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Mei Foo Tsuen Typical Floor Plan
Mei Foo Tsuen Towers
Mei Foo Tsuen Podium
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
27
28
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Observations
Singles and the Point Tower - a Fundamental Mismatch
While the point tower has a range of obvious benefits, it is a system designed around the nuclear household. This is most evident within two
aspects of its spatial structure.
1. Diminished efficiency for smaller units. At the most fundamental level, the efficiency of its floor plate relies on its small number of
large units, designed for residents of greater means. In designing for
lower-income residents, the smaller unit size demands greater corridor
access and thus lower efficiency, as shown in the Harmony I public
housing tower floor plan. The even smaller units of single residents,
would therefore reduce efficiency of the point tower closer to that of a
slab building.
2. Lack of connectivity and communal spaces. Communal spaces
give singles the space to connect with each other and form friendships,
social networks, support groups and romantic relationships. For single
residents, close family may be far away or even non-existent. Therefore, it is important to provide space that fosters a sense of community
and mutual support.
Both factors of incompatibility relate to the high efficiency ratio of the
point tower. Therefore, it is the author's conclusion that efficiency ratio,
while important, should not act as the single determining factor when
designing for single residents. Instead, it should be considered in conYan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
29
Differing Financial Needs
In addition to their unique spatial needs, low-income singles also
have a financial profile that is drastically different from that of a low-income family. Taking the current allocation of 12.5m 2 as a starting point,
the following discussion compares the financial needs of each of these
low-income groups.
First, let us consider the family of four. Hong Kong Housing Authority
sets the maximum income of 4-person household applicant at $21,800
HKD a month". Assuming a market rate of $200 HKD per square meter per month, they will be hard-pressed to afford living in a 50 square
meter apartment (at 12.5m 2 per person). To do this, they would be
expending nearly half of their monthly income on rent. In this case,
providing heavily subsidized housing, in the form of the current public
housing model, makes sense.
Elderly singles also fit well within this model of financial assistance. These singles generally have little to no sources of employment income and largely depend on a very basic old-age allowance of a
meager $1,090 HKD a month. In their case as well, heavily subsidized
housing makes sense.
Non-elderly singles, however, require considerably less assistance. Hong Kong Housing Authority sets a maximum income of 1-person household applicant at $9,200 HKD a month in order to apply for
public housing 19. Similarly, singles aged 25-35 make on average 10000
HKD a month20 . Using the same assumptions on market rate rents, a
single individual will spend roughly a quarter of their income on a 12.5
square meter space. This is largely due to the fact that single households have no dependents. Therefore, they are much more able to
afford living on a similar square meter per person basis (fig. 2).
In summary, housing for the single person may not be worthy of public
resources purely on a person for square meter basis, as defined by the
current public housing model. However, they are much closer to living
affordably in market-rate housing.
18 Hong Kong Housing Authority. "Housing in Figures: 2012." Hong Kong Housing Authority.
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Web. 8 Aug. 2012. http://
www.housingauthority.gov.hk/
19 Hong Kong Housing Authority. "Housing in Figures: 2012."
20 Yip, Wong and Law. A Study on Understanding our Young Generation. p30
30
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
1.Average Median Income (HKD) Ages 15-35
Source: AStudy on Understanding Our Young Generation
12,000
11,000
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
15-19
20=24
25-29
30-35
2. Household Income vs. Living Area vs. Rent to Income
Household
Size
Waitlist
Income Limits
Living Area
(m2)*
Market Rate
Rent*
Rent to
Income Ratio*
1
$8740
12.5
$2500
28.6%
2
$13410
25
$5000
37.3%
3
$17060
37.5
$7500
44.0%
4
$20710
50
$10000
48.3%
5
$23640
62.5
$12500
52.9%
6
$26590
75
$15000
56.4%
7
$29560
87.5
$17500
59.2%
8
$31620
100
$20000
63.3%
9
$35360
112.5
$22500
63.6%
10+
$37150
125
$25000
67.3%
12.5m 2 per person, roughly the current average in Hong Kong Public Housing
** Assuming 200HKD / m2 / month, roughly the current average inKowloon
* Assuming
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1 31
An Appropriate Urban Setting
Single residents of all ages have a stronger desire to live in centrally
located areas, compared to the nuclear family. For elderly singles, the
convenience, proximity to amenities and public transit options is something they rely heavily upon and are willing to pay dearly for. Many of
the elderly who live in subdivided and inadequate conditions do so as a
tradeoff for this convenience. Similarly, younger singles not only desire
to be close to work, but also to the excitement of urban centers (fig. 2).
Time is money in Hong Kong - and in this sense, living in a convenient
location often outweighs the quality of one's own living environment.
This is particularly true for singles, who tend to spend more time away
from home compared to individuals within a nuclear family.
Many of the new public housing estates beyond the mountains north
of Kowloon. These "New Towns" boast of fresher air, better living environment and lower rents (fig. 1). However, for singles, these incentives
are less important than the opportunities provided by living in the city,
and not worth the hour-long commute into town. Affordable housing for
singles therefore should be sited in a centrally located, convenient, and
cost-effective location.
32
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
http://bamboechutes.wordpress.com/
http://commons.wildmedia.org/
1. New Terfitories
2. Kowloon
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
33
"Can-do Spirit" of Hong Kong
Hong Kong residents pride themselves their ability to cope with the intense conditions in which they live, through hard work and strength of
will. In the face of soaring property prices, inflation, and the incredibly
fast pace of life, Hongkongers persevere with a strong sense of dignity,
doing their best to support themselves through their own means". This
is on clear display in figure 1,which shows over 40% young people taking on second jobs in the wake of the financial crisis.
The HKSAR often refers to this attitude towards hardship as the "Cando Spirit" of Hong Kong. Public-private housing campaigns such as
the recent rent-to-buy scheme have pointed towards this attitude as a
potential means to bridge the gap between government assistance and
self-reliance, between public and market-rate housing.
This is particularly relevant in the light of single households and
their incompatibility with the current public housing system. Given that
singles are relatively closer to living affordably in market-rate housing,
can this gap be closed through this attitude of self-reliance rather than
through government coffers? What if the building itself could channel
this can-do spirit by providing opportunities for generating extra revenue, close to home? Could such a system lead to a proactive, and
potentially lasting form of affordable living for singles?
"We need to work against poverty - not just by giving money, but by
helping poorer people from relying upon social welfare. This is what it
means to eradicate poverty."22
This thesis proposes a building design that acts as a platform for proactive affordability by creating a new dimension of affordability - opportunities for extra revenue- within the residential space (fig. 2)
21 Ngo, Jennifer. "700,000 slip through Hong Kong's welfare net." South China Morning Post. pl
22 Ngo, Jennifer. 700,000 slip through Hong Kong's welfare net." South China Morning Post. p1
34
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
1.Secondary Employment Statistics
Source: AStudy on Understanding Our Young Generation
60%
50%
AGE
40%
-
30%
15-29
20-24
25-29
20%
10%
AIL-
0
1991
1996
2001
2006
2011
2. A New Dimension of Affordability- Opportunity
LPOTMT
L'M FLEXIBLE! )
I'll MAXIMIZE
OPPORTUNITIES!
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
35
36
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Strategy
Platform for Proactive Affordability
The thesis proposes that singles housing should act as a platform upon which singles can earn extra revenue. These opportunities
for "proactive affordability" help residents afford their living spaces with
little expenditure of public resources, while encouraging a pattern of
self-reliance. An extremely successful precedent of a housing typology
performing this function is the Three-Decker.
The Three-Decker is a residential structure most commonly found in
the New England region of the United States. It is a three-story light
wood frame construction, consisting of three stacked residential units
accessed through a common stair. These structures were primarily built
to house working-class families near factories between 1870 and 1920.
However, they regained popularity by the 1980s due to their proximity
to major cities - the three-deckers in Dorchester and South Boston are
one such example. The three-decker's internal divisions of space allowed a family to buy the entire structure, live in one unit, and renting
out the other two, thereby enabling them to pay the monthly mortgage.
(fig. 1) This arrangement enabled middle-income families to afford owning a home close to their employment in the city.
The conceptual strategy of the design is to create a large-scale version
of this platform that integrates with the context of Hong Kong. The
building design intertwines three scales of design - the flexible unit,
the interior street, and the activated base - that creates for a myriad of
revenue generating opportunities for residents.
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
37
Site - Sham Shui Po
Sham Shui Po is a centrally located, low-income district in Hong Kong.
It is often characterized by its cheap deals and central location on the
northwestern part of the Kowloon Peninsula and along MTR Red line.
In Cantonese, "Sham Shui Po" means "Deep Water Pier." It was one
of the earliest developed areas in Hong Kong, and formerly one of the
main industrial and transportation hubs of the region. Today, the district
has been rebuilt into large swathes of both public and private housing.
The building stock is one of the oldest in Hong Kong, with a large number of residential buildings having exceeded their intended lifespans.
This problem of urban decay is compounded with a high concentration
of poorly managed and subdivided flats, which include many of Hong
Kong's notorious "cage homes." Sham Shui Po also contains the highest percentage of elderly residents in all of Hong Kong, whose inadequate living conditions are an issue of concern for the government.
Public entities such as the Urban Renewal Authority have attempted to
redevelop a number of sites within Sham Shui Po, with mixed levels of
success. While the building stock is clearly in need of renewal, it is also
home to a highly local and lively mix of residences, shops, and cultural
institutions. This network provides amenities and connections that its
low-income residents clearly value." In addition, the colorful range of
small shops, street markets and larger discount stores has highlighted
Sham Shui Po as a primary destination for cheap goods and services
within the larger context of Hong Kong.
"There are two main reasons to go to Sham Shui Po: to buy fabric or
electrical components. Lace, thread, clasps, zips, buttons, and any
other accoutrements of clothing manufacturing, can be purchased and
lights, fuses, wiring, speakers, monitors and other technical gadgets
can be bought in the market thoroughfare of Ap Liu Street."24
Sham Shui Po provides a fitting backdrop for the proposed "platform for proactive affordability." The rich blend local, cheap goods and
street market spaces create an ideal urban context for the proposed
high-rise typology saturated with informal businesses. Furthermore, the
lively urban surroundings, proximity to Hong Kong Island and availability of transit creates a very desirable location for singles both young and
old.
23 Burdett, Ricky, Myfanwy Taylor, and Adam Kaasa. "Hong Kong's Spatial DNA." Cities Health
and Well-Being. November 2011: 34. Web. 8 August 2012. p34
24 Yip, Paul S. F. "Disconnection in a Highly Connected City." Cities Health and Well-Being. p28
38
I
C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Saume: w
nwwurbarenert
SHAM SHUI PO: INCOME LEVEL + LOCATION
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POX
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41
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SHAM SHUI PO: RELATIVrEiErlTY
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
39
40
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
/7
7YL~.
>~4.
NCOME LEVELS + BUILPINIGAGE
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
1
42
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
LANDMARKS; GREEN SPACE AND DENSITY
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
43
collecting cardars
washing vegetanues;
cutt!7) Tr etc.
44
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
EXISTING BUILDING TYPOLOGY
"e
Source: --
vUrb
wwuwreI-,
.
I
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
45
A Hidden Resource - Unused private space
The first step of creating the platform of proactive affordability
involves activating a hidden resource - private space that is unoccupied at various times during the day. Singles flats, as opposed to family
units, are often left empty during fixed hours of the day (fig. 1). This is
especially relevant in Hong Kong, in consideration of the long working
hours and vibrant urban setting that keeps singles out and about. Furthermore, even when occupied, the resident may desire the flat to serve
a commercial rather than domestic function, much like the Hong Kong
shop-house. The design proposal seeks to enable the conversion
this residual space into a variety revenue generating opportunities.
Expanded Communal Space
Compared to nuclear families, single residents having a greater
need for communal spaces and their associated activities. Limited unit
size encourages the sharing of certain spaces and functions, such as
kitchens, lounges, study areas and laundry. Furthermore, the provision
of communal spaces encourages the formation of friendships, social
groups, support networks and romantic relationships that are desirable
for the lifestyle of a single resident. Additionally, this harmonizes with
Hong Kong residents and their particular predisposition towards the
concept of private space:
'Maybe people in Hong Kong are used to not having a private space, so
we don't mind not having one ... and we're not desirous of it ... when
you really need a private space you can actually create one ... even a
24-hour Cha Chaan Teng [Chinese eatery] can be a private space' 2
Cherry, an 18-year-old student living in Whampoa, said, 'it's like quarantining myself ... we do not bother each other even though we sit there
next to each other ... no one can intrude'.26
These personal accounts reveal the habit of making up for the lack of
private space at home through the occupation of public space (fig. 2).
The design seeks to expand the proportion of communal space
within the residence, allowing it to take on a wide array of shared
functions.
25 Burdett, Ricky, Myfanwy Taylor, and Adam Kaasa. "Living at Density: Voices of Hong Kong
Residents." Cities Health and Well-Being. November 2011: 44. Web. 8 August 2012. p44
26 Burdett, Taylor, and Kaasa. "Living at Density: Voices of Hong Kong Residents." p44
46
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
1.Unused Private Space
6 days
51.3 hrs
Horg ng,
1n-1(day workWeek
offic ally prae
Avetage hanv
w
in H r
Kn,
down rorr
52,
20
Source: AStudy on Understanding Our Young Generation
REST/
RELAx
NEAx
A He
A Hidden Resource?
2. New Definition of Private Space
+
+
"PRIVATE SPACE"
177(
3. Redistributing Private Space
SEMI-PRIVATE / COMMON
'
I1
don't always have it, it ok
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
47
Youth + Elderly
The pairing of young and elderly singles within the same residential
community is advantageous for a number of reasons. The single elderly residents have no family to look after them, and therefore may reach
out to their younger neighbors to help them with more physically or technologically demanding tasks. Carrying heavy objects, mobility related
issues, handiwork, and fixing the computer, are a few such possibilities.
The young residents, on the other hand, are often busy and away from
their homes. In return, the elderly may be able to offer convenience
in terms of cooking, keeping an eye on things during the day, and voluntary matchmaking services, just to name a few. The architecture
creates mixed neighborhoods of the young and elderly, allowing
them to help one another out (fig. 1).
Shop + House - Viable Commercial Space Throughout
The "platform for proactive affordability" draws inspiration from the
blurring of domestic and commercial space in the Hong Kong shophouse. Placing living and working opportunities in close proximity or
even within the same space allows residents to take on opportunities
for extra cash at their own doorstep and on their own terms. Bringing
commercial viability into the upper reaches of the building also has the
advantage of greatly reducing the cost burden of the space itself upon
the resident (fig. 2).
Indeed the most substantial expense for a business in Hong Kong is not
its employees' wages but, in fact, ground rent, which can comprise up
to 50 per cent of the total operating cost."2 7
The challenge then is to create a viable environment for such small
businesses and shops within a high-rise structure. The building design creates a system of public circulation throughout the upper
floors, and uses the clever arrangement of space to drive pedestrian flow.
27 Shelton, Barrie. The making of Hong Kong: From Vertical to Volumetric. p59
48
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
1.Harmony Between Age Groups, Facilitated by Communal Space
YOUNG SINGLES
ELDERLY
U[0 It
COMMUNAL SPACE
COOKING HELP COUNSELLING +BORROWING THINGS
MATCHMAKING GETTING PACKAGES
ABLE-BODIED +ABLE-BODIED +HAS A CAR? +COMPUTER EXPERTISE
MEDICAL EXPERIENCE
COOKING EXPERIENCE
+ NEEDS COMPANY
-- +
LOTS OF CLUTTER
+ WANTS TO SET PEOPLE UP
-+ AT HOME ALL THE TIME
-+
--
MOBILITY/ CARRYING THINGS
HANDIWORK
DRIVING
--COMPUTER HELP
- HOSPITAL/ EMERGENCY
2. Chunking Mansions - Massing and Retail Activity Diagrams
Source:
TheMaking
of Hong
Kong,
From
Vertical
to Vok'netrlc.
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1
49
Building Management
The amalgamation of multiple uses throughout a high-rise building is made possible through effective building management. The author admits that this is not his area of specialty - however, it is important to recognize that this just as if not more important to the viability
of this project as the architecture itself. Fortunately, Hong Kong has
developed a robust industry of building management, in order to keep
environments of such high population density up and running. Wellrun building management has the ability to operate and to potentially
enhance the vitality of such dense, multi-functional buildings environments. A famous example of one such arrangement is Chungking Mansions:
Chungking Mansions is a building located at 36-44 Nathan Road
in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. From the exterior, it appears as a massive
residential block rising up to 17 stories in height. The massing consists
of a commercial podium below five "blocks" or towers of what seem
like residential spaces. These towers are closely spaced and in some
cases entirely fused together, rendering the building a truly massive
appearance from street level.
A pedestrian entering from the street would navigate through a multi-level mall consisting of rows of small shops and restaurants. Cheap trinkets, electronics, and clothing stores also dominate these lower levels.
However, it is only a matter of time before hawkers and shop owners
begin beckoning you to venture into the upper levels. Such individuals and advertisements are strategically placed close to the elevators,
which whisk you into the upper levels. The upper levels are saturated
with even more shops, restaurants and hotels, which have become very
popular for backpackers and tourists seeking the cheapest accommodation in Hong Kong. Most of these commercial spaces are converted
from what was initially designed as residential flats, and co-exist with
private residences that still serve their original function. (fig 2, p49) The
building as a whole negotiates a complex and fascinating set of relationships between this variety of users and uses across all levels. What
are the critical factors that allow this type of building to grow and thrive?
The architecture of Chungking Mansions is decidedly unremarkable, with buildings of similar make throughout Hong Kong. What drives
the vitality through the entire height of the building is in fact the tantalizing deals offered by the shops themselves, backed up by a well-run
building management system. The building management in Chungking
Mansions goes beyond collecting rent and taking out the trash. Among
other things, the management must allow for the informality and flexibility of commercial space while preventing illegal and unsafe activities
from occurring within the premises. Over 200 security cameras are
installed throughout the building, presumably to serve this purpose.
50
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Chunking Mansions - Podium and Tower Plans
Source:
wwdouban.com
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1 51
This thesis assumes the presence of an effective and comprehensive management solution that helps to ensure livability
and commercial viability across the building. This will provide a
robust framework within which a lifestyle of proactive affordability
may occur, in combination with the architecture purpose-built for
this kind of intense mixed use.
Hong Kong Housing Society
The Hong Kong Housing Society is known for its various experiments in affordable housing. Such projects and their successes and
failures often inform the design of larger projects executed by the Housing Authority.
This thesis seems to fit within the scope of such an experimental housing project. The Housing Society normally receives a partial
land subsidy from the government, while the rest of the project must be
financially self-sustaining. Due to the innovative nature of this project
and its market-rate basis, it may be a viable undertaking for the Housing Society within this financial framework. Other possibilities include
public private partnerships between the society and private developers.
The author is interested in engaging Hong Kong Housing Society and
discussing the possibilities for affordable singles housing in Hong Kong
as a potential future trajectory
52
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
LEASING MODEL DIAGRAM
EXAMPLES OF EXPERIMENTAL HKHS PROJECTS - ELDERLY HOUSING
WF- 2W/ tr a mIe annme4
Senior Cazen Rosklenns (SEN) unfs
XF
Fitness Room
0 Podum Garden
k Indoor Swimming Pool
k Hydropool
2/F
SResidendal Care Home for the Eldely
Courtyard
V/F
0 Main Ubrary
Hobby Rooms
0 Grooming
Polyciio / Nurse Centre
0 Multi-purpose Hall I Restaurant
Conee Bar I Convenient Store
51-84
Car Park I Laundry
MowM:
WIAfns.com
Souc.: ww.hhs.com
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1
53
54
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Design
Sequence of Drawings
The following design is the manifestation of the previous strategies within the confines of the Sham Shui Po site. The sequence of drawings will
show how these concepts take physical form, beginning at the unit level, then the communal cluster, and finally at the urban scale. Next, the
circulation and programmatic diagrams show how these three scales
work in concert to make possible the "platform of proactive affordability."
Finally, the renderings will show the structure in its occupied state, as
envisioned by the author.
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
I
55
Unit Design
The design of the unit is based on the concept of temporarily
"converting" private space into other uses at the will of the tenant. This
allows the activation of the "hidden resource" - unused private space
during certain times of day. As shown in the plans below, using a simple
translating wall system, the private space (yellow) can be "packed" into
a thin sliver around the perimeter. In doing so, this frees up a larger
combined shared space between the two smaller units. At the very basic level, this can act as a living room shared by the two tenants.
Also, note that the bathrooms are located on the outside wall
of the unit. This is required by Hong Kong building code, as to provide
natural ventilation, and also for easy maintenance of the pipes (the temperature never dips below freezing in Hong Kong). Doing so frees up
the wall facing the internal corridor and increases the spaciousness of
the units.
1250
1150
2500
0
0
0
CD,
0
0
0
CD
N
N
5000
5000
PRIVATE CONFIGURATION
SHARED / CONVERTED CONFIGURATION
30m 2 YOUNG SINGLES UNIT PLAN
56
I
C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
UNIT EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC
500mmDROPCEIUNG
STORAGE
I"
WINCH
MECHANISM
MEDIA
CENTER
FOLD-OUT
DININGTABLE
BATHROOM
UNIT
TRANSLATING
WALL
EXPOSED
PIPES
Wdow-se "sappearAugbalmom"Cocept
SINGLEUNIT
MIRRORED
UNIT
CONVERTIBLE
SINGLES
UNIT
EXPLODED
AXONOMETRIC
I
|
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
57
Unit Components
From left to right, top to bottom:
15m 2 Transformable Bedroom: The 30m 2 unit is split into two 15m
bedrooms, which can function independently with their own entry, storage, desk, bathroom, etc. The 6m depth allows for an higher net to
gross ratio. Any thinner than 2.5m and it begins to feel like living in a
hallway.
Window-side Bathroom: In Hong Kong, the pipes never freeze and
much of the housing places kitchens and bathrooms on the window
side, for ventilation maintenance. This considerably frees up the entry
area for the transformable room.
500mm Thickened Ceiling: Items that are not used very often are
stored in a thickened ceiling. Items that experience daily use are stored
in cubby walls, closets and shelves.
Disappearing Bed: Winches in the ceiling are attached to the four corners of the bed, allowing it to be raised into the ceiling
Raised Bed / Cleared Floor: With the bed (with or without rumpled
sheets) is fully raised and the desk folded, the open floor can be used
for exercise...
Translating Wall System: The two rooms are divided by two separate
translating walls.
Combined Living Room: With the beds raised, the walls can be
pushed back to create a larger communal living room.
Fold-out Dining Table: Providing some form of a simple folding table
allows the shared space to take on a variety of different functions.
58
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
15 m2 Transformable Bedroom
Combi9ed Living Room
Fold-out Dining Table
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1
59
Potential Unit Configurations
From left to right, top to bottom:
Entertain Guests: This configuration allows the space to be entirely
converted into a public zone, with all your personal mess stashed away.
Invite your friends over! This is normally quite difficult to do in most
small (and sometimes rather cluttered) Hong Kong apartments.
Live Work Coupling: Residents who work away from home may
choose to lease the room out at a premium to live/work roommate, who
may occupy the entire room during the day.
Small Office: If both tenants work away from home, they may choose
to rent the space out to small startups or individuals seeking cheap office space.
Small Shop: A tenant who wants to make an extra buck after work
can advertise his cheap wares on the ground floor (after all, this is what
Sham Shui Po is known for!) and bring tenants up to inspect his wares
stashed in his room.
Cheap Hotel: Much like Chung King Mansion, tenants who want to rent
their units out to deal-seeking backpackers and the like may convert
their rooms to anything from a daybed to a full 30m2 suite.
KTV / Bar: The simple availability of a table and AC equipment can
allow a tenant interested in mixing drinks and bar tending to create a
small scale bar in his home after work, networking with hotels and small
offices in nearby units for potential customers.
Cheap Diner: A tenant who loves cooking may convert one of the bathrooms into a kitchen and moonlight as a chef, converting the space into
a cheap sit-down of delicious foods for those in the know.
Acupuncture Clinic: Small double nicely as private clinics during the
day. Office workers, live-work tenants and shoppers alike may want to
drop by for treatment or relaxation.
60
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Entertain Guests
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
61
1:1 Unit Prototype
Simply drawing the transformable unit in a series of diagrams
made it seem too easy. As part of the Mobility On Demand class offered
by Kent Larson, the cityhome team was able to build a 1:1 prototype of
the drop ceiling, lowering bed and dining table in the medialab. A special thanks goes out to Tyrone Yang, Carlos Olabarri, David Rose, Siliang Fu, George Samartzopolous, Yuki Minoda, and Serena Tan in this
effort. While the winches were creakier than expected, the prototype
was an effective proof of concept showing how multiple work surfaces
could be consolidated into one assembly and made available on-demand, transforming a small space into various modes.
62
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
63
Unit Design Summary
The first function of the unit is to expand the amount of activities
that can take place within a small 15m 2 space through simple transformable systems. Such systems allow the space to take on multiple
"modes," taking advantage of the flexibility of a one-person household.
By activating the unused private space within the singles unit,
the design allows the tenant to generate extra revenue to pay for the
relatively large (15m 2 per person) space. This can be done through
various modes of short-term subletting and commercial activities, which
all can be facilitated through the building management. In doing so, the
unit becomes a small economic engine that runs on the tenant's ambition for living comfortably and affordably.
UNIT INTERIOR RENDERING
64
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
4k
3k
SUBLET
SPACE
20
25
30
'ICA
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
65
Cascading Communal Cluster Design
The transformable 30m 2 units are aggregated into 5-story "communal clusters" that are linked through a set of cascading communal
spaces. The linking of adjacent floors encourages communication between tenants within the cluster, instead of being confined to their relative floors, while opening up the internal hallways to light and air. This
is not only beneficial to the residents, but also creates a friendly and
collaborative atmosphere for small businesses and live-work tenants
as well. These clusters form small communities that breaking down the
scale of the high-rise and are reminiscent of the traditional shop-house.
The single elderly live on the "ground" floor of each cluster, with
direct access to open-air sky gardens. Because elderly spend more
time at home, they are more likely to use these sky gardens as spaces
for gatherings, and exercise. Book-ending the cascading communal
spaces, the sky gardens experience a generous amount of foot traffic. Therefore, elderly may even use these very accessible spaces for
setting up cooked food stalls and newspaper stands, generating extra
revenue of their own. The connectivity to the other floors encourages
interaction between the young singles and the elderly.
3300
3300
3300
S
S
N
Kitchen Configuration
Bathroom Configuration
Elderly Unit Plans
66
I C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Open Configuration
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1
67
CASCADING COMMUNAL SPACES LINKING ADJACENT FLOORS
COMMUNAL KITCHEN
+
CONTINUOUS
STAIR
STORAGE
LOCKERS
MINI LIBRARY
QUIET
STUDY
LOUNGE
ROOM + BALCONY
CONFERENCE
BREAKOUT SPACE
I/
SKY GARDENS BRIDGING "COMMUNAL CLUSTERS" BETWEEN SLABS
68
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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69
90
00
20c0(
2001
-4I-1
1200
Q
#1
p
2000
120
COMMUNAL
BALCONY
STUDY
LOUNGE
DOUBLE
HEIGHT
STAIR
VOLUME
TYPICAL YOUNG SINGLES FLOOR PLAN
N
1:250
t
10
25
0
5
15
UNITS:
40
80
TENANTS:
TOTAL
AREA: 2459 m2
474m2
SPACES:
COMMUNAL
SPACE
PERPERSON: 6m2
COMMUNAL
703m2
CIRCULATION:
71.4%
EFFICIENCY
31m2 per person
GROSS:
70
BREAKOUT
SPACE
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
0,
A/
5/0'GARDEN
/
SKY GARDEN
GAME0ROM01>
00120
0'
0
9-K
GAME ROOM
SINGLE ELDERLY / SKY GARDEN LEVEL FLOOR PLAN
$1 1
1:200
2.5
N
10
5
15
N
UNITS:
68
TENANTS:
68
TOTAL
AREA:2459 m2
COMMUNAL
SPACES:
474m2
COMMUNAL
SPACE
PER PERSON: 6m2
CIRCULATION:
703m2
EFFICIENCY
71.4%
GROSS:
35 m2 per person
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1 71
Communal Cluster Design Summary
The community cluster design not only creates a connective and
communally oriented residential environment but also expands the opportunities for tenants to create extra revenue. It reinforces the viability
of the transformable unit for live work or small office use, and creates an
"interior street" to channel foot traffic and encourage commercial activity. The sky gardens for the elderly are analogous to the transformable
unit for the younger singles, giving the elderly an opportunity to earn a
little extra money right outside their doorstep.
While the communal cluster design is less "efficient" of a layout
than the point tower, one could argue that it can offer a greater number
of low-income singles housed per public tax dollar. This is largely due to
the combination of spatial organization and building management that
enables tenants to contribute to the affordability of their own spaces.
Simultaneously, this configuration creates opportunities for more connectivity and communal interaction that has become lacking in the more
efficient housing types.
COMMUNAL STAIR AND SKY GARDEN
,.a.
61-
72
I
C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Yan-Fing Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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73
Podium Design
The design of the podium seeks to capture as much foot traffic
as possible to enable the commercial viability of the upper floors, while
providing greater connectivity and a pedestrian friendly environment at
the ground level. The podium creates a shortcut for a major circulation
pathway between two subway stations, both which are within walking
distance (400m) of the site. This foot traffic moving diagonally through
the site feeds a large covered bazaar that occupies the majority of the
ground level. Above the bazaar are rings of small shops topped by a
garden level which hosts a variety of community amenities. These elements work together to attract pedestrians, and the elevators are strategically located for hawkers to bring them into the upper retail spaces.
400m2 Walking Radius and Subway Stations
Site as Shortcut between Subway Stations
74
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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75
76
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
77
LAPPOOL
77
00
lad
III~~~08(
MDIEIIIFIIC=K7
TIO
-
GARDENELSEATS
COMPETITE
RESTAURANT
SPACES
CUNIC
PATIENT
ROOMS
STAFFOFFICESIBREAKROOM
GARDEN LEVEL FLOOR PLAN
1:250
78
N
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
79
Podium Design Summary
The podium design reinforces revenue generating opportunities
while adding value to the community at the urban scale. With the bustling ground floor, tenants can take advantage of all aspects of the building as a platform for extra cash in whatever way they choose. Tenants
can rent out a small stall on the ground floor, or choose to capitalize on
the foot traffic and run a business from their flat at no extra cost.
Furthermore, the bazaar concept maintains the financially successful tower and podium typology without taking away from the lively
street activity that is an essential part of the Sham Shui Po context. This
is a more urbanistically friendly response to the current podium designs
which have a tendency to suck up all street life into its massive, air conditioned interior.
GROUND LEVEL BAZAAR
80
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
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81
Circulation + Program - 3 Scales Working in Concert
The transformable unit, community cluster and open podium
combine to drive a lop of circulation throughout the height of the building. The open podium with function as a shortcut and bazaar attract
people to the site. Hawkers and even better deals beckon movement
to the elevators, whisking them into the upper floors. The communal
clusters offer a rich variety of retail, restaurants, office, and residences,
all linked through the cascading communal space that winds all the way
back down to the garden level. The visual connection to this rare green
space, shielded from the surrounding city, also invites pedestrians to
travel the length of the cascading interior street.
PROGRAM DIAGRAM - SKY GARDEN AS CIRCULATION DRIVER
COMMNUAL
CLUSTER
GARDENLEVEL
COMMERCIAL
/ GYM
POOL
LEVEL
GARDEN
Cl"NJC
-MAiNLOBBY
ADMIN/SERWCE
MARKET
OUTDOOR
2ndLEVEL
SHOPS
SilEETLEVEL
SHOPS
ZONE
LOADING
S1REET
LEVEL
SHOPS
82
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
LEVEL
GROUND
EXPLODED CIRCULATION DIAGRAM
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
83
BAZAAR LONG SPAN STRUCTURE
BONDBEAM
-
-1
;
MEGATMISS
LON
SRAN
CORMMATED
ARCH
-
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
84
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
PWMBINCOLUMN
CONCMTE
COWMN
SLAB SYSTEMS AXON
COMMUNAL
SNCEMODULE-
LINK
TO
NEXT
SLAB
BEEZE
BLOCK
MODULE-(UNCONDITIONED
HALLWAYS)
CLUSTEA
UNIT
I-ELDERLY
-R7=
CONDITIONED
COMMUAL-SMCE
YOUNG
SINGLES
UNIT
WORKSHOP
MODULE
+ EL
SKY
GARDEN
.DERUYFLOOR--
LANDSCAPE
ELEMENT
GARDEN
LEVEL
COMMERCIAL
LONG
SPAN
CONCRETE
CANOPY
---
.
UGHTDIFFUSIOM--FOR
STRUS
ELEMENT
LANDSCAPE
LATERAL
TENSILE
BRACING
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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85
Programmatic Organization
The overall programmatic organization helps encourage the flow
of pedestrians throughout the building. As is illustrated on the diagram
at right, the bazaar occupies the bottom floor, while the upper floors
are residential spaces linked by continuous strips of cascading communal spaces linked by sky gardens. Sandwiched in between the base
and the upper levels is the garden level that houses the main residential lobby, clinic, athletic facilities, and other semi-public program. The
garden level contains all the "good stuff' - not to mention the pristine
greenscape, which is extremely hard to come by in Sham Shui Po - that
attracts foot traffic from above and below.
BUILDING DATA
GROSS FLOOR AREA: 43317 m2
SITE AREA: 5904 m2
FAR: 7.3
YOUNG SINGLES UNITS: 400
ELDERLY SINGLES UNITS: 186
TOTAL BEDS: 986
NET AREA PER PERSON: 15m2
GROSS AREA PER PERSON: 43m2
+20000
VIii'YV
I
SKYGARDEN
1.
+16000
+13000
LEVEL
GARDEN
+10000
+5M00
Loo-_vT'a-ZZ--.
PARKING
BAL44R
II
LONG SECTION
86
if
I C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
L_
ELDE
RLY
UNIlSCOMMUNAL
SPACEYUNGSR
UWS
GARLN
LES
LEVEL
/ ATIRALCTR
PROGR
SMALL
RETAL+ MR&Wl STREET
UNFOLDED PROGRAM DIAGRAM
17RESIDENTIAL
FLOORS
+73550
.-kI
7iT
~
iril
ELDERLYFLOOR+,75
YOUNG
SINGLES
FLOORS
+3m
YOUNG
SINGLES
FLOORS
+29450
YOUNG
SINGLES
FLOORS
+2
YOUNG
SINGLES
FLOORS
+23150
ELDERLY
FLOOR
+2000
I
1=
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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87
APPROACH FROM NAM CHEONG STREET
88
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
UPPER LEVELS DURING DAY (TOP) AND NIGHT (BOTOM)
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
89
THE BAZAAR
90
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
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91
Overall Design Summary
The building design and program work together to create a highly active tower of multiple and shifting uses, giving it a distinctive quality
unique to Hong Kong. This contextually sensitive solution of activating
the entire volume of a high-rise residential building is at its core a response to the unique needs of single residents. Creating this kind of
environment is crucial in providing singles a range of opportunities for
making extra cash at their doorstep and on their own terms. Taken
together, this environment reinforces the "Can-do Spirit" of Hong Kong,
enabling tenants to achieve a level of self-sufficient affordability. As
shown in the diagram on the right, this system goes beyond providing
limited allowances for basic affordable living. The flexible nature of the
building design allows for an infinite number of opportunities for adaptation and growth, allowing tenants to not only live affordably, but prosper.
GARDEN LEVEL
92
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
340A
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93
Measures of Success
The most straightforward way of measuring the success of public housing is in terms of how many residents housed per unit of public
expenditure. The design assumes that tenants will require no rental
subsidy and will pay market rate rents based on the floor area. Furthermore, in the case of Hong Kong Housing Society, the government
would provide a partial land subsidy. This makes construction cost a
good indicator of the amount of public expenditure. The current design
provide a ballpark estimate in these terms by calculating the cost of one
30m2 unit.
Cost Estimate of one 30m 2 Unit
Totals
Cost / Unit
Unit Quanitity
Material
Unit
Reinforced Concrete
m3
8.332
1,230
10248.36
Aluminum Windows
m2
8
2230
17840
General Steel / Welded Work
kg
200
37
7400
Solid core flush doors
#
4
5300
21200
Bathroom fixtures / Vanity
# baths
2
10,000
20000
Translating Wall Panel
m2
30
500
15000
Bed / Winch System
#
1
10000
10000
20mm Timber strip flooring
m2
30
600
18000
Intemal lime cement plaster
m2
60
89
5340
TOTAL (1 UNIT)
1
125028.36
Unit = 2 Residents
125,000 HKD / Unit = 62,500 HKD per resident
At this cost, the development provides the residents:
15m 2 per person at roughly 3,000 HKD / month.
Additional unquantifiable and qualitative benefits include:
Additional space through unit transformability
Community-friendly residential environment
Opportunities for generating extra personal income
94
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
CONSTRUCTION COSTS INHONG KONG, 2011-2012
Source: Rider Levent
Bucknal
Average Rates In HK$
Description
Unit
3
Reinforced concrete Grade 40
m
302011
402011
102012
202012
1,210.00
1,210.00
1,220.00
1,230.00
Sawn formwork
m
2
235.00
245.00
250.00
260.00
Deformed high yield steel bar reinforcement
kg
10.80
10.80
10.90
10.90
2
180.00
183.00
18700
192,00
Mastic asphalt roofing overall 20 mm thick (2-coat work)
on horizontal surfaces
m
2
126.00
128.00
131.00
134.00
20 mm (Finished). Timber strip flooring including plywood
sub-floor, sanding and wax polishing
m2
56700
576.00
588.00
600.00
Timber skirting 100 mm high x 13 mm thick
m
7700
78.00
79.00
8100
50 mm Solid core flush door faced both sides with 5 mm
timber veneered plywood including door frame, architrave,
mouldings and painting (excluding ironmongery)
No.
5,030.00
5,100.00
5,200.00
5,300.00
Galvanised mild steel in balustrades, railings and general welded
and framed work
kg
36.00
36.00
36.50
3700
Structural steelwork - standard sections
kg
3700
3700
3750
37.50
2
2,110.00
2,140.00
2,180.00
2,230.00
2
58.00
59.00
60.00
61.00
2
210.00
213.00
21700
222.00
2
2,770.00
2,810.00
2,870.00
2,940.00
2
105 mm Solid concrete block wall
m
Fluorocarbon coated aluminium windows - frame and hardware
including clear float glass and glazing (single-glazed windows)
m
20 mm Cement and sand (1:3) paving
m
Coloured unglazed ceramic mosaic floor tiling
Marble slab flooring (mid-range, European origin)
m
m
Two coat internal lime cement plaster to soffit and beams
m
85.00
86.00
8700
89.00
Metal panel suspended ceiling
m2
580.00
590.00
600.00
61500
Ceramic / homogeneous wall tiling, internal work
m2
482.00
490.00
495.00
505.00
Ceramic mosaic external wall tiling; adhesive fixed
(45 x 45 or 45 x 95 mm tiles)
m2
341,00
346.00
350.00
359.00
Alkali resistant primer and two coats of emulsion paint
on plastered walls and ceilings
m2
43.00
44.00
45.00
4600
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
95
Further Discussions and Closing Remarks
It is clear that the issue of providing affordable housing for singles will be one of the challenges facing this generation. Not only are
these needs increasingly clear in Hong Kong, many cities of the developed world are also following similar demographic trends. In the
struggle against poverty, encouraging self-reliance as a means to affordability can play an important role in the long-term solution. It is the
author's belief that the creation of living environments that foster this
self-reliance is an area where architecture can play a critical role.
While the design provides a rather detailed proposal for addressing some of these issues, this is but one attempt at a problem that
is unquestionably much greater in its breadth and depth. A broader perspective on the critical factors that define the architectural, financial and
political solutions to this issue is a worthy endeavor. Looking through
the different stages of the design process raises two questions of particular interest:
What are the factors that encourage a "proactive" behavior towards affordability? What role can architecture play within this endeavor?
Can this approach be applied to other parts of the developed world?
What forms would proactive affordability take on in other contexts?
The author is interested in continuing this work in one form or another in
pursuit of the answers to these questions.
96
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
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|
97
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Structures. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2010. Print.
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2012. http://www.economist.com/node/21526329
Anonymous. Hong Kong Report: Quarterly Construction Cost Update. RLB I Rider Levett
Bucknall. September 2012. Web. January 15 2013. http://rlb.com/rlb.com/pdf/research/RLB_
HongKong andChinaReportSeptember_2012. pdf
Burdett, Ricky, Myfanwy Taylor, and Adam Kaasa. "Living at Density: Voices of Hong Kong
Residents." Cities Health and Well-Being. November 2011: 44. Web. 8 August 2012.
Burdett, Ricky, Myfanwy Taylor, and Adam Kaasa. "Hong Kong's Spatial DNA." Cities Health
and Well-Being. November 2011: 34. Web. 8 August 2012.
Census and Statistics Department. "2011 Population Census." Census and Statistics Department. The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Web. 8 Aug. 2012.
http://www.census2011.gov.hk/
Chan, Felix. "Flat curbs on young singletons endorsed." South China Morning Post. 30
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Chen, Brian X. "Crammed Into Cheap Bunks, Dreaming of Future Digital Glory." New York
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Sakamoto, Tomoko, Irene Hwang and Albert Ferre. Total Housing - Alternatives to Urban
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Habraken, N. John. The Structure of the Ordinary: Form and Control in the Built Environment.
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Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Web. 8 Aug. 2012. http://www.
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Legislative Council Panel on Housing. "Public Rental Housing for One-person Applicants."
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2011. Web. 9 August 2012. http://www.legco.gov.hk/yrl0-11/english/panels/hg/papers
98
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Loh, Christine K.W. and Mike Kilburn. "The Costs and Benefits of High Density Urban Living."
Cities Health and Well-Being. November 2011: 30-31. Web. 8 August 2012.
Lue Junhua, Peter G. Rowe, and Zhang Jie. Modern Urban Housing in China: 1840-2000.
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Shelton, Barrie, Justya Karakiewicz and Thomas Kvan. The making of Hong Kong: From Vertical to Volumetric. Routledge (December 22, 2010). Print.
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Floor Plan: Standard and Ideal. NAi Publishers, Bilingual edition (May 31, 2011)
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Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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99
THESIS PRESENTATION I DECEMBER 20TH, 2012
ATHOME
TRAPPED
YOUNG
SINGLES
LIVING
CONDITIONS
SINGLES
- POOR
ELDERLY
TYPLOGY
UIGLIOB
100
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
TUITRE
NICK
-d=F dIbpd
I-
-
4-
--------------
-
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1 101
102
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
,-IV
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
103
104
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
|
105
106
1 C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
107
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| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1
109
APPENDIX
DESIGN REVIEW 1: September 11, 2012
j
r
-TYPICAL
FLOOR
DORMSCRAPER
TESTDESIGN
110
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
38.6m2
4
-30
2BRCOLLAPSIBLE
UNIT-36m2
PrivateMode
28RCOLLAPSIBLE
UNIT
- 36m2
PartyMode
cost / uqm?
I
SITESELECTION + PROGRAMMATIC DRIVERS
IMASSING
SCHEMESI
SCHEME 1 - SUPER MAT
FAR: 5.4
744SV8NU-014n12
1131km2
RoorCon-n]Area.
M
/
-Partil
4
-4
SCHEME 2 - SINGLES MAT, LOVER'S SLAB
4;2
388 sigesuits478n,
FAR:5.3
""""O
RrCommunIAa
A -11319n
Hong
KongIsa fast-paondand
fora little while.
smpetitive
senirsament.
Privet
f
space
allowsyongpeople
to gotawayfromI an, Ifonly
IWnttolive
o
rnyo-(72%
Prsy
1~I
SCHEME 2 - SINGLES PODIUM, LOVER'S TOWER
Mastactivitiesthat take platoIaprivatodon'treaire muh room,butareverypersonal(work,Internet,sloop,
romancs).
Priat*spacesmustbeSMALL,
PROTECTIVE ANDINSULATED.
061k
.
provideCOLLAPSIBLE
PRIVATE SPACE
that lads area backto thecommonwhilethetenantIs pa
754CuplsUni-13850me
2
Partyl
388Sinlas
Ui - 4875n,
Rfoor
Comna0
spas shouldbe HORIZONTALLY
ORGANIZED tomaximbeencounters tweenyoungsingle. (machlikeMIT)
e
FAR: 7.8
70m
rbuon
m e.-2088.
Courty07d8pace3380m2
provideAVARIETY
OFCHOICESfora dateto beginor torthe conversationte eatinue
aftera dayoutIn thecity
Hengyl
F44
TARGET FAR:7.5
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
111
DESIGN REVIEW 2: October 4, 2012
TOWER (EFFICIENT)
RA:7.5
STORESS:
23
EFIENCY 83%
UNITS:1824
NOTES
23
MAT (IDEAL)
23
FAR:7.6
4
STORIES:
EFFIIENCY:
40%
UNIS:160
NOTES
-1- -----1
THICK SLAB (INBETWEEN)
FAR7.5
STOR8ES:
14
0%
EMCIENCY:
T
NL
UIT$: 784
NOTES
112
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
- -- -------
2-STDAY
COMMEEIAL
PODIUM
RAISED
MAT
WITH
HIGH-VALUE
PROGRM
h
BASIC
HDME-OFFICE
SLAS
FAMILY
HOUSING
TOWERS
SEPARATED
CIEIULAT0N
BETWEENHROME/I0FFICE
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
113
MID REVIEW: October 18, 2012
UNITDESIGN
FLOOR LAYOUT
ALM A muLE
MM UM
TO K tM M moM
MC at Mw
ME 1 F MM
miETO
TOMTIE AFFoMMLE
M FORuoMMANMAviAKE
PMAM NMM MiEL
eML
MLES
aM
EM-
mmom
114
| C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
ROK
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Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
1
115
PENULTIMATE REVIEW: November 29. 2012 (Part 1)
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Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
117
PENULTIMATE REVIEW: November 29, 2012 (Part 2)
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[VIEW 31Main Residential Entry / Clinic
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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119
PENULTIMATE REVIEW: November 29, 2012 (Part 3)
[VIEW 51Garden Level
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(VIEW 61Elderly Level Lobby
VIEW 81Typical Elevator Lobmv
120
|C.A.S.H - Communal Affordable Singles Housing
[COST / CONCLUSION]
Yan-Ping Wang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
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121